Running Up That Hill
by Lycanthrope516
Summary: They may not have been born together, but they would die together. Brothers until the end.


_You be running up that hill_  
 _You and me, be running up that hill_  
 _You and me won't be unhappy._

"Fee." Kili whispered that night, frightened and nervous for what was to come.

"What's wrong, Kee?" Fili turned around to face his distraught baby brother.

"I. I'm...scared Fee. W-what if w-we don't make it, tomorrow? Or w-what if-" Kili was cut off by his brother pulling him into a tight hug. His face pressed against his brother's chest.

"Don't think about the what if's. It's alright to be scared. Just know that I am here now, and that is what matters. I am here now, Kee." Fili whispered into his baby brother's ear and pressed him close. Kili's shoulders shook with rattly breaths as he kept the tears at bay. He buried his face in his brother's chest. They fell asleep curled together, unsure of what tomorrow would bring but sure that they were together. The raven curled into his lion.

Fili and Kili ran out of the Mountain flanking their uncle. The Durins together were an unstoppable force. The King at the lead, hewing a pathway through the sea of enemies. The Lion, ever protecting his King, claws and teeth bared, never seeming to run out. The Raven perched on the Lion's shoulder, pecking away at the excess of enemies.

But the Raven was small.

He could not defeat them all. Something came flying towards him though he did not see it. Fili roared up to protect his brother. The deadly bolt pierced the golden hide of the Lion instead of the silky feathers of the Raven. So the Lion was felled. But he still yet drew breath. Kili mustered up all of his strength and dragged his protector to a nearby outcropping that was at the moment free of enemies. The King tried to follow but Kili yelled for his King to continue to fight for his home. The King nodded solemnly and turned, plunging back into the fray.

Kili sunk down to his knees beside his brother. "Fee..." Kili began to frantically examine the wound hoping that somehow it would just disappear.

"Kee...it's...alright. I-...I'm fine." Fili smiled at his little brother, weakly raising a hand to brush a stray lock of brown hair from his baby brother's face.

 _And if I only could,_  
 _Make a deal with God,_  
 _And get him to swap our places,_  
 _Be running up that road,_  
 _Be running up that hill,_  
 _Be running up that building,_  
 _If I only could, oh..._

"No...Kee. I'm...glad. That...you're safe. That...I was able to...protect you,... one more time." Fili rasped, giving a weak grin.

"No. No. Fee...No. You'll be okay. I'll get you to Oin, he'll fix you right up." Kili choked down his sobs as he spoke. "You'll still get to protect me. This isn't the last time. It CAN'T be the last time! I won't LET IT!" Kili grabbed his brother's hand and intertwined their fingers.

 _'C'mon, baby, c'mon, c'mon, darling,_  
 _Let me steal this moment from you now._  
 _C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,_  
 _Let's exchange the experience, oh...'_

"Kee...Kili. I...need you to know. I...only thought...of you. When I saw this...arrow coming. I...knew I...had to...protect you. I...love you...Kee." Fili rasped his breaths coming shorter and faster.

"I love you too fee. P-please don't go to sleep. Just...stay awake for a while." kili pleaded for it. He desperately needed his brother to stay awake.

 _And if I only could,_  
 _Make a deal with God,_  
 _And get him to swap our places,_  
 _Be running up that road,_  
 _Be running up that hill,_  
 _with no problems_  
 _With no problems_

"Kee..." Fili breathed out one last time, using this breath to say the one thing most important to him in life and in death.

"Fee? Fee?! FEE?! FILI! FILI! NO! Fili! PLEASE! MAHAL **NO**! PLEASE! NOT HIM! not him! Not my Fili!" Kili threw himself onto his brother. His fist beat at his brothers chest as he tried to get that heart beating. He was screaming for him to open his eyes, to wake up. But no matter what he did those blue eyes never opened. They were shut. Forever. "Fili." Kili sobbed.

 _If I only could, be running up that hill._

That was it then. Kili's world stopped. When those eyes closed. When that breath left. His world left. It stopped. his entire world stopped. There was never a day when Fili was absent from his life. It was always Fili and Kili, Kili and Fili. They were one being. Fili was the heir to the throne, the Lion Prince. Kili was to be his captain of the guard, the Raven Prince. But the Raven was wrenched away from his Lion's shoulders. Kili couldn't believe it. He couldn't live without Fili. Without his Lion. There was no purpose. Kili couldn't breath. No Fili. No Kili. So he flew away after minutes of pure agony. The Raven flew away to join his precious Lion.

 _He was running up that hill._


End file.
